Lottery sales in the US rose 2.1 per cent in the second quarter of this year, compared with the same period of 2016, according to a leading US market lottery tracker.

The rise was driven by instant ticket sales that moved up 6.1 per cent to $12.2bn, after a lengthy period of decline. The rise was supported by factors such as wage rises, more people in work, lower petrol prices resulting in stronger consumer demand.